The Children’s charity, Barnados, have suggested that even 2 year olds are using social Media.
It highlights the need for all social media companies to fight the harmful content online, but parents can do their bit too to prevent their children being exposed to such dangers.
Below are some top ideas to keep your child safer:
Talk to your children and explain the serious dangers online especially when using social media. For example how they may believe they are playing an online game with someone who is the same age as them, when in fact, which often can be the case, they could not be more wrong!
Make sure you, yourself understand the dangers that they can be exposed to.
Net Aware is a good website, linked with the NSPCC charity, where you can get very good information and guidelines about social media sites. i.e. age restrictions etc.
The NSPCC also have on its own site, with very good guidelines of how to talk to your child about the harmful dangers online.
Limiting screen time is a good thing too, especially for the very young. The world Health Organisation recommended in April, that screen access time was limited to 60 minutes a day for 2-5 years old.
One of the most important ways to help your children keep away from the ‘virtual Bogeyman’ is to have a good antivirus with parental control, this allows you, the parent, to be in control of what they are viewing, to block sites that may include topics like ‘sex education’ for example and many other subjects.
Our Norton products can offer you this control and peace of mind in helping to keep your child safe online.